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The Shadow of What Was Lost/Chapter 7
| next= }} Summary Sooner than expected someone knocks on Davian and Wirr's door saying Anaar has sent them and that the plan's changed. Davian and Wirr briefly discuss letting them in but agree that it's a risk either way and open the door. Two men enter the room ask if the boys are ready to go and gesture to the hallway. Davian grabs his pack and heads for the door, and as soon as he turns Wirr gives a startled shout and Davian's his arm is wrenched behind his back and a Shackle is sealed onto his arm. Dazed, Davian looks back to Wirr and sees his friend on the floor also with a Shackle on his arm. The men insult the Davian and Wirr and begin talking about how much money they can get for them while they search the boys. Just as they are about to head out of the room, the Hunter from the common room, Breshada, enters the doorway, blocking the way. One of the men tells her she is too late and that these ones are theirs. Breshada apologizes to the men, calling them Renmar and Gawn, and pulls the longsword on her back. They both try to fight back but as soon as her sword touched the flesh of each man, they simply crumpled to the ground dead. Davian and Wirr's Shackles fall off, the Contracts breaking when the men died. Breshada warns the boys not to attack her and when they try to thank her, she then rages at the boys for having to kill two skilled Hunters, her brethren, for their worthless lives. She tells them to inform Tal'kamar that her debt to him has been paid and that if she ever sees them again, she will kill themWe learn about the debt Breshada is talking about in .. Breshada then turns and storms out of the room, leaving a dazed and confused Davian and Wirr with the two dead men. Hours later, Anaar finally shows up to Davian and Wirr's room. Wirr opens the door and Anaar and another man come inside. Anaar notes the two dead men on the floor, asking if there had been trouble, but Wirr assures him that it was nothing they couldn’t handle, and Anaar gazes at the boys with a little more respect. He then leads all four of them out of the inn, and through the town, dodging Administrator patrols, until they make their way through a dense shrubbery and onto a beach of the Devliss River. On the beach they find a boat, and Wirr worries about being swept away in the strong currents of the river. Anaar reassures him that that is the reason be brought his strong companion, Olsar, along. Across the water a few tiny lights can be seen moving along the horizon, and Anaar explains to the boys there are Desrielite patrols ever few hours. It will take them an hour to row across the river, and that will give Davian and Wirr about two hours to get well clear of the border. Anaar also tells them that each border soldier has a Finder, so they if they use Essence at all, they will be hunted until found and killed. The smuggler wants their word that they will not use their Gift and shakes their hands for agreement. When he shakes Davian's hand, he glances down towards his pocket where the bronze box is concealed, and Davian is sure he saw it when in the common room and is planning of stealing it from them. In his anxiety, Davian feels a surge ripple through his body and into Anaar, and the smuggler shakes his as if to clear itWe find out more about what Davian did in .. Everyone then boards the boat and Anaar and Olsar row them across the water into Desriel. Once on the other side, two more men emerge from the trees and take up positions behind the boys. Anaar then tells the boys that the deal has changed and that he'll be needing all their money as payment for crossing the river. He warns them again about using Essence with Desrielite soldiers nearby and that a few extra coins are not worth their lives. Davian asks how they know that they won't kill them once they have the gold, and Anaar replies he could just kill them now if he wanted, but there would be too much of a mess to clean up. Davian sees that the smuggler is not lying, but feels he is still missing some of the picture. After a moment of thought, he realizes that Anaar doesn't want them using Essence either, since that would bring the patrols down on them before Anaar and his men could remove any evidence of them being there. Once the patrols know that this spot is a route for smuggling, Anaar wouldn't be able to use it anymore. Davian points this out to Anaar, and they are at a standoff. Davian suggests that Anaar let them keep a few of the coins, that they are not worth the risk of his entire operation. Anaar grudgingly agrees, and Davian gives over all but three of the coins from his pouch. Anaar flips him a fourth with a grin just as his men board the boat to row back across the river. Wirr tells Davian that was quick thinking, and they both head into the wood away from the water. After a few hours of walking Wirr stops them for a break, pulls off one of his boots and drops five more silver coins into his hand. Davian, impressed, asks that Wirr thought something like that would happen, to which Wirr replies that Anaar is a smuggler, hardly an honest line of work. Wirr also comments that it looks like Anaar didn't know about the Vessel or else he would not have let them go without taking it. Davian admits that he might have done something to Anaar to make him forget, and Wirr cynically replies that the Augurs were supposed to have all sorts of powers, but it might not be what Davian thinks happened. Davian lets the matter drop and they continue northward in Desriel. Characters Appeared *Anaar *Breshada *Davian *Gawn *Olsar *Renmar *Torin Wirrander Andras as Wirr Mentioned *Tal'kamar Deshrel Locations *Andarra *Devliss River *King's Repose (inn) *Talmiel Terms *Administration *Bleeder *Contract *Essence *Finder *Gifted *Hunter *Portal Box (the bronze box) *Shackle *Tenets Category:Chapters